Sorry for the long post, but I would like to ask some questions regarding the latest app upgrade and the overall device operation interface. I am a software developer so hopefully I have some understanding in the subject, plus I’d like to give Anova some feedback.
The latest app upgrade recently pushed on Android (not sure about iPhone) did modify the main device operation screen. It feels like the old app version was designed for iPhone and ported to Android. The old interface feels Apple - like. You see the realistic device icon with the actual temp and timer settings, you touch temp and can modify it, you touch timer and can modify it as well.
Now we have “PC” style buttons so set temp and timer. This is of course a matter of preference and taste but to me it feels like a step backwards. The interface aesthetics is not there anymore.
The real problem with the latest app version is that the timer is rendered useless and I just stopped using it.
In the past I could set temp / timer and the timer would start right after the set temp was reached.
This is also how the device operates in standalone mode so it was very intuitive and easy for the user.
Now there is a new popup on the phone (which you can easily miss) saying something like “Set temperature reached, do you want to start timer?”. Unless I confirm the popup message on the phone the timer would not start. If I happen to place the food in advance and miss the popup (which happened a few times already) I will overcook the food.
The second problem in my opinion is that when the timer elapsed it should stop device. Instead, it keeps circulating and maintaining the temperature. There is another popup you have to go through to stop the device.
Everybody hates popups. I am sure you have popups blocked in your browser. When you encounter the popups in your phone app you just uninstall this app. Why is Anova using popups? Please use cleanly designed interface. The device is quite simple and programming / controlling it shall be easy and intuitive. With popups you are destroying the simple automation the device already have and the user is expecting. If I don’t need automation I can use the manual setting mode. By having those popups you are forcing the manual setting mode on everybody.
There are many timers in the kitchen already. My phone has a timer which is much easier to setup and operate then the Anova’s one. The whole reason to have a timer in Anova is for it to be a DEVICE timer. Any other appliance I can think of operates this way. You set timer on microwave, range oven or toaster and it shuts off the device when timer elapsed.
Could you guys please roll back this app “improvement” software change?
On the standalone device interface I am puzzled on why it is so complicated (and inconvenient) to operate it.
The most common use case is for the user to set the temp and timer and let Anova do the work.
The temp setting control is the one which is most frequently used and the way it’s implemented is OK.
The F/C switch is less frequently used and should be hidden to avoid unintended change. It is probably used once in the device lifetime. So the way it operates now is OK in my opinion.
But the timer control is the second one in usability. Why do I have to jump through F/C settings to get to the timer activation? The fact that the timer is working is indicated anyway because the temp display alternates with the timer display when the timer is started.
Why can’t you show the timer icon on a startup instead of keeping it hidden and allow for a simple and intuitive independent timer setting control? I should be able to just touch and hold the timer icon and the current timer setting should be displayed (with zero meaning no timer is set). I should roll the wheel then and set the timer and then touch the timer icon again to set the new value. By the way when the timer is already set it is sufficient to touch and hold the timer icon on device and operate it in a way I just described. So the software routine is already in place in device and all you need is to enable timer icon on startup and eliminate this awkward mode with 8 second time wait just for activating the timer icon.
